Hiker Killed by Grizzly in Yellowstone National Park

A hiker in Yellowstone National Park was killed by a grizzly bear Wednesday after apparently surprising a female grizzly and her cubs. It was the park’s first fatal bear attack since 1986.

From this story in the Washington Post: A killer grizzly is roaming Yellowstone National Park’s backcountry after mauling a man who apparently surprised the female bear and its cubs while hiking with his wife. Officials closed remote campgrounds and trails near the scene of Wednesday’s attack close to Canyon Village, which sits in the middle of the sprawling park. The identity of the 57-year-old victim was being withheld until his family could be notified, said Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash.

The mauling occurred just after Yellowstone’s peak weekend for tourism. While lamenting the death, officials said they didn’t want to overemphasize the danger to visitors.